Mike Tyson: I was sexually abused as a child

The former boxer recalls the one-time incident that took place when he was just seven years old

Mike Tyson has led an appalling and sad life, but are we not a country that gives second chances? (Getty)

Mike Tyson has spoken out about being abducted and sexually abused when he was a child in Brooklyn.

The former boxer was seven years old when he was seized on a New York street by an “old man”.

“He bullied me, sexually abused me and stuff... snatched me off the street. I was a little kid. Never seen him again.”

Tyson escaped from his attacker, but decided not to inform the police.

“It was nobody’s business to know,” he told Opie Radio. “I just lived my life.”

He's not sure whether the experience changed him or not, but the memory has remained with him,

“I don’t always remember, maybe I do but I don’t,” he said, “I’m not embarrassed or ashamed from that perspective.”

The radio show hosts reacted by commenting that the admission was “awkward”.

Tyson’s personal life has been blighted by drama and turbulence – he has been arrested on numerous occasions, for DUI, drug possession, assault and the rape of an 18-year-old girl in 1991. In 1992 he was sentenced to six years in prison followed by four years on probation, but was released in 1995 after serving three years.

He recently attracted publicity after calling the then Mayor of Toronto Rob Ford “the best Mayor in Toronto’s history”.

Ford has admitted to smoking crack cocaine in the past and has been embroiled in a numerous incidents involving drink and drugs.

In an interview not long after Tyson met with Ford, Toronto CP24 reporter Nathan Downer then asked Tyson the following reasonable question, which led to an expletive-filled response.

“Some of your critics would say 'this is a race for mayor, we know you're a convicted rapist, this could hurt his campaign', how would you respond to that?” questioned Downer.

“It's interesting because you come across like a nice guy but you're really a piece of sh*t… f*ck you, that was a piece of sh*t,” said Tyson.

Later during the interview, Downer thanked Tyson for coming on the show, to which Tyson replied “f**k you”.